Calling Them Out: Delta's right to stay the course on student studies

Recently, the state House of Representatives voted to allow Michigan’s community colleges to offer four-year degrees to their students in a limited number of programs.

It’s a good idea, one we hope the Senate will back as well, since it opens access to a bachelor’s degree to broader spectrum of people in our state, regardless of where they live.

That said, we understand Delta College’s decision not to jump on board, should this train leave the station.

Given the school’s close proximity to and partnerships with Saginaw Valley State University and Northwood University, Delta doesn’t need to offer four-year degrees. Its students can and do pursue them at these local institutions and others elsewhere.

In addition to preparing students for the work place with associate degrees, the community college does a good job of preparing them to transfer to a university to finish their schooling.

That kind of relationship seems to be working well here.

That’s not always the case in other parts of the state, which is why the legislation is needed, even if it does severely limit what kinds of four-year degrees community college students can earn.

The legislation draws the line at nursing, cement technology, culinary arts and maritime technology. Not exactly a cornucopia of programs.

As Delta College spokesperson Leanne Govitz notes, with the exception of nursing, those programs wouldn’t do much to serve the college. As for nursing, Govitz points to the programs at SVSU and Delta are both doing well.

She also makes the very good point that “We wouldn’t choose to compete with our partners on that.”

Rather, the college has and apparently will continue to ready its students who wish to pursue four-year degrees to transfer to the institutions of their choice when the time comes.

This is all the more reason for Delta to be diligent in ensuring that every credit students earn transfers to every university, and for universities to accept those excellent Delta credits.

Delta doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel in this instance, but it and its partner universities does need to ensure the wheel turns smoothly for those who go on to pursue advanced degrees.